3 feet 6 inches. That is a number that I am going to remember for a long time. And for Rory McIlroy, last Sunday at the U.S. Open was a defining juncture in a decade full of heartbreaking moments at major championships from St Andrews to Augusta, Carnoustie, and Los Angeles. Holding a two-shot lead with five holes to play, the 35-year-old had a dazzling stretch around the turn that saw him make five birdies across five holes. Appearing to be in prime position to capture his first major since the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, the wheels began to fall off.
Kickstarted by a bogey on the par-three 15th, where he failed to get up and down after flying the green, the 26-time PGA Tour winner would then drop a second consecutive shot on the par-four 16th by missing a putt from inside three feet for the first time all season. Leaving the door open for Bryson DeChambeau, the Nothern Ireland native missed the fairway on the 18th and advanced the ball to the front of the green with his second shot. However, after chipping the ball just past the hole, Mcilroy saw his par putt from four feet lip out. DeChambeau would then scramble brilliantly by getting up and down from the bunker to capture his second U.S. Open title.
For McIlroy, where do you go from here? Once again in the mix for another major after finishing runner-up to Wyndham Clark at Los Angeles Country Club a year ago, his best chance of breaking the decade-long drought in an era defined by heartbreaking moments and near misses came down to six feet worth of putts. Here are my five parting thoughts from a brilliant week at Pinehurst.
A Star in the Making
One of the brightest young stars in golf, Ludvig Aberg appears to be the next big thing on the PGA Tour. In his first professional golf season, the Texas Tech product has already won on the DP World Tour and at the RSM Classic on the PGA Tour. Captain Luke Donald also selected him to play on the victorious European Ryder Cup team. A runner-up at The Masters Tournament in April, the 24-year-old was the only player to finish within a four-shot radius of Scottie Scheffler in his first start at a major. The Swedish native also held the 54-hole lead this past weekend before faltering with rounds of 73 and 73 on Saturday and Sunday.
Pinehurst up to the Task
One of America's most iconic and storied golf venues, Pinehurst was again up to the task in its first installment of the U.S. Open in a decade. Headlined by greens that were described as unfair and sadistic, many players saw their approach shots fall off the false fronts and come tumbling down to their feet over four days. Furthermore, with clumps of wiregrass and native sand areas off the edges of the fairways, failing to hit the ball accurately off the tee proved to be truly penal. Only 11 players finished at even par or better, with multiple big names missing the cut, including Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Will Zalatrois, Jason Day, Viktor Hovland, and Max Homa.
The End is Nearing
For Tiger Woods, his U.S. Open farewell appears to be on the horizon. Failing to play the weekend for the fifth year in a row, the 15-time major champion carded an opening round 74 on Thursday. Let down by his poor iron play, the California native drove the ball beautifully. However, he found only 9 of 18 greens in regulation. He needed to card a round of even par on Friday afternoon to stick around, but he could not get anything going with his putter down the stretch en route to a disappointing 73. Set to play The Open Championship at Royal Troon next month in his final start of the season, the 48-year-old was given a special invite by the USGA for upcoming U.S. Opens. However, with major championships remaining, there is no sure thing. You have to wonder if the end is nearing for one of the game's greats.
Rory oh Rory
Up by one stroke heading to the 15th tee, barring a major meltdown, the U.S. Open was Mcilroy's to lose. Dechambeau could not find the fairway with his driver and struggled to make birdies on the ultra-difficult closing stretch at Pinehurst. Instead, the 35-year-old was seen driving out of the golf course two hours later after Dechambeau poured in a par putt after getting up and down from the bunker on 18 to secure his second major championship. How did Mcilory let another opportunity slip away? Haunted by his flat stick, he missed from inside four feet for the first time all season on hole 16 on a putt that would have been conceded on any Saturday morning money match. Furthermore, he then saw his missed again on 18 on a nervy downhill slider.
Bravo Bryson
In the middle of one of the most significant turnarounds in sports over the last few decades, DeChambeau has quickly gone from an odd, angry outlier on the Tour to a fan favorite. Littered with crowd support at Pinehurst thanks to his newfound success on YouTube, the 30-year-old has shown a deeper side of his personality. On the golf course, his play has also been nothing short of spectacular. Now a two-time winner at the U.S. Open thanks to an epic bunker shot on the 18th hole, he also finished T6 at The Masters Tournament and runner-up to Xander Schauffele at the PGA Championship.
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